A steel safe with mass 2200kg falls onto concrete. Just before hitting the concrete its speed is 40m/s , and it smashes without rebounding and ends up being 0.06m shorter than before. What is the approximate magnitude of the force exerted on the safe by the concrete? How does this compare with the gravitational force of the Earth on the safe? Explain your analysis carefully, and justify your estimates on physical grounds.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The magnitude of forceexerted by the safe on the concrete is2.93'107N.

The gravitational force of the Earth on the safe is 2.16'104N.

The force by the impact on the steel is 1.33'103times greater than the gravitational force on the safe.

Step by step solution

01

Given information

Mass of the steel safem=2200kg.

Speed of the steel safe before hitting the concretev=40m/s.

The change in length of the steel safeD/=0.6m.

A force is a push or pull on an object caused by the interaction of the thing with another object. Every time two things interact, a force is exerted on each of them.

02

Compute time interval

The change in length of the safe isD1=0.06m. Using the approximation

role="math" localid="1656668384432" vravgvrf+vri/2=á0,0n~+á0,40,0n~/2=á,20,0r~m/s.

The time interval that the safe and the concrete were in contact is :

Dt=D1VIavg=0.0620=3'103s

Thus, the value of is 3'103s.

03

Compute force exerted

The force exerted is given by the formulaFr=DpIDt

Substituting the value of Dtas3'103sand expanding the formula,

localid="1656669677695" Fr=0,mvy,0á0,0,0n~1.5'103=0,8.8'104,01.5'103=0,2.93'107,0N

Thus, the force exerted by the safe on the concrete is 0,2.93'107,0N.

04

Compute gravitational force on safe

The magnitude of gravitational force is:

|Fr|=022.93'1072+02=2.93'107N

The gravitational force on the safe is found using the formulaFg=mg.

Fg=22009.8=2.16'104N

Thus, the gravitational force of the Earth on the safe is 2.16'104N.

05

Compare both forces

Take the ratio of force exerted by the safe and thegravitational force of the Earth:

FimpactFg=2.93'107N2.2'104N=1.33'103

The force by the impact on the steel is 1.33'103greater than the gravitational force on the safe, one factor that made the force is the time duration.

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